Community Guide 2017
Our Community’s Faith Organizations by Suzanne Sadowsky Among the various organizations, clubs and groups serving the San Geronimo Valley and Nicasio, the faith congrega- tions have had a very long history. Collectively they have served the people of our villages far longer than any other nonprofit organizations. For more than 150 years the faith organizations—St. Mary’s and St. Cecilia’s Catholic Churches, the San Geronimo Community Presbyterian Church, the Buddhist Meditation Center at Spirit Rock, and Gan HaLev (the Jewish Congregation)—have indi- vidually and collectively served as anchors of community life. They have all provided a source of social engagement for their adult members and their children. They have contributed to the spiritual and emotional needs of Valley people as we experience life events—joys and the chal- lenges—births, confirmations, b’nai mitzvahs, marriages, illness, loss, and death. The Valley faith groups have each in their individual ways and collectively worked to support the community at large and to create a sense of cohesion, appreciation of diversity in belief and practice, and their shared values. They have provided food for the homebound and homeless, and their members have worked tirelessly for other Valley nonprofit organizations. For over a decade, the Valley Faith Organizations have come together twice a year—in the fall for their Interfaith Thanksgiving Service and in the spring for an Interfaith Forum. I asked representatives from each of the congregations to respond to a number of questions about their origins and founders, their mission, challenges and role of their orga- nizations in today’s world. Below are excerpts from their responses; you can read them in their entirety online. (See page 174.) Their responses follow in the order that they first began to serve the Valley. St. Mary’s/Nicasio & St. Cecilia’s/Lagunitas St. Mary’s Church in Nicasio has been ministering to the Catholics in West Marin for more than a century. The picturesque church on the Square was dedicated by Arch- bishop Joseph Alemany on October 27, 1867. In the mid- 1800s, Nicasio was being considered as the Marin County seat. (Fundraising to restore the church’s aging structure has been ongoing with a major celebration planned for October of 2017.) St. Cecilia’s Church in Lagunitas was built in 1912 (at a cost of $4,000) along the railroad line that went from Sausalito to Cazadero up the coast. In December of 1934, the original St. Cecilia’s Church was destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt and dedicated in 1936. During the 1990s, the
Church was threatened with closure, but a committee of active parishioners and community members convinced the Archdiocese of San Francisco to let the church remain open. Subsequently, a major restoration of the church and meeting hall took place. Both St. Mary’s and St. Cecilia’s have been admin- istered by priests appointed by the Archbishop in San Francisco. Father Cyril O’Sullivan has served as pastor for both churches since July, 2006. He is advised by a Pastoral Council made up of parishioners. The main mission of the Catholic Church is to pro- claim the teachings of Christianity in worshiping God and loving our neighbor. Parish events such as picnics, trips and parties are an integral part of building our community. In celebrating traditional Catholic liturgies, our local parishes hope to meet the needs of the people for a deeper spiritual- ity in the face of increasing secularism. For many years we have joined with other San Geronimo Valley faith com- munities for an Interfaith Thanksgiving Service. Besides sharing our gratitude, we all contribute to the community Food Bank. San Geronimo Community Presbyterian Church The San Geronimo Valley Community Church was first organized on March 13, 1932, under the direction of the Board of National Missions. The Church remained under the authority of the Board until June 27, 1954, when John C. Bonner was ordained and installed as the first full-time pastor who served until April 1961. In late 2005, Reverend John Gerity Scott was called as the full-time pastor. He arrived with the agenda of expand- ing the church membership, fostering ecumenical ties, and strengthening involvement in the Presbytery of the Red- woods. Of particular importance to both Reverend Scott and the entire church was the congregation’s willingness to hire an openly gay pastor. Reverend Scott scheduled new member classes, initiated a Valley Interfaith Thanksgiving service engaging Catholics, Jews, Native American groups and Buddhists. He joined neighborhood groups such as the Lions Club, the Healthy Community Collaborative and the Marin Interfaith Council, where he became Board President. Reverend Kate Clayton became the interim pastor in March 2011 and was later called to be the Church’s full- time pastor in 2013. Pastor Kate Clayton loves the diversi- ty of West Marin and this congregation. She continues the congregation’s tradition of interfaith work, and serves on the core team of West Marin Coalition for Healthy Kids. The Church’s Mission Statement: “We commit our- selves to worship God, grow in spirit and bring love, com- passion and justice to our community and the world.” The present church buildings and grounds have taken
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